Dianthus plant named ‘Dragon Fruit’

ABSTRACT

The new and distinct cultivar of perennial Carnation or Pinks,  Dianthus  plant named “Dragon Fruit’ with fragrant highly double flowers, petals with a central fuchsia pink zone and reddish purple bar.  Dianthus  “Dragon Fruit’ is tolerant of high temperatures and resists center die out.

Botanical denomination: Dianthus hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘Dragon Fruit’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the new and distinct cultivar of Dianthus or Pinks from the genus Dianthus and given the cultivar name ‘Dragon Fruit’. The new plant was the result of an intentional cross in May of 2006 by Kevin A. Hurd between ‘Double Spotty’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,884 as the seed parent and ‘Devon Siskin’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,377 (more often known as ‘Raspberry Swirl’) as the pollen parent. The new hybrid was first isolated from trials at a nursery in Zeeland, Mich. during the summer of 2007. Dianthus ‘Dragon Fruit” has been asexually propagated at the same nursery in Zeeland, Mich. using traditional shoot tip cutting procedures and found to reproduce plants that are identical and exhibit all the characteristics of the original plant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment including: growing temperature, available sunlight, nutrients, water, etc. without a change in the genotype of the plant. The new plant is distinct from its parents and all other Dianthus known to the applicant in the following combined traits:

-   -   1. Double flowers with high petal counts.     -   2. Unique floral color and pattern.     -   3. High heat tolerance.     -   4. Floriferous habit.     -   5. Vigorous growth and excellent habit.     -   6. Compact, distinctly blue-green foliage.

Cultivar Comparison Table Flower Flower Cultivar color Flower pattern size ‘Apple Slice’ pink dark wine edge 4.5 cm application No. and rim 12/462,743 ‘Black Cherry Wild’ burgundy solid 4.0 cm application No. 12/462,742 ‘Coconut Punch’ white burgundy edge 3.5 cm application No. with white rim 12/462,744 ‘Double Spotty’ burgundy white picotee 4.0 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. edge and white 13,884 spots ‘Dragon Fruit’ fuchsia red jagged 3.5 cm application No. pink purple bar 12/462,745 ‘Pomegranate Kiss’ burgundy irregular pink 3.2 cm application No. splashing on 12/462,746 margin or center ‘Cranberry Ice’ pink dark wine edge 3.3 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. and rim 18,342 ‘Devon Siskin’ light pink magenta edge 4.0 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. with burgundy 14,377 base ‘Feuerhexe’ (not pink solid 4.0 cm patented) ‘Devon Xera’ red crimson eye 3.0 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,895 Red Dwarf’ red crimson eye 3.5 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,437 ‘Sangria Splash’ fuchsia crimson ring 3.0 cm application No. pink with pink 12/462,741 splashing and center ‘Spangled Star’ scarlet small white 4.0 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. red spots and white 13,029 picotee edge Petal Plant height Cultivar Petal margin # in flower ‘Apple Slice’ dark wine 20 to 22 cm application No. 12/462,743 margin 24  ‘Black Cherry Wild’ light rose 16 to 22 cm application No. 12/462,742 margin 20  ‘Coconut Punch’ reddish 14 to 28 cm application No. 12/462,744 purple 30  margin ‘Double Spotty’ white 15 to 17 to 30 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,884 20  ‘Dragon Fruit’ self 14 to 20 cm application No. 12/462,745 22  ‘Pomegranate Kiss’ irregular 16 to 16 cm application No. 12/462,746 pink 22  splashing ‘Cranberry Ice’ dark wine 5 20 to 25 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,342 margin ‘Devon Siskin’ magenta 5 10 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,377 edge ‘Feuerhexe’ (not patented) self 5 10 to 12 cm ‘Devon Xera’ self 5 15 to 20 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,895 Red Dwarf’ self 5 20 to 25 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,437 ‘Sangria Splash’ crimson with 5 30 cm application No. 12/462,741 pink splashing ‘Spangled Star’ white 5 17 to 22 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,029 picotee edge

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The photographs of the new invention demonstrate the overall appearance of the plant including the unique traits. The colors are as accurate as reasonably possible with color reproductions. Some slight variation of color may occur as a result of lighting quality, intensity, wavelength, direction or reflection.

FIG. 1 shows the two-year old new plant in flower.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the flower and bud.

FIG. 3 shows the dissected flower of the new plant together with capsule and seeds.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following detailed description of the new plant is based on observations of several two-year old plants in open-field, full-sun conditions in Zeeland, Mich. with supplemental watering, light additions of fertilizer and free of other plant growth regulators. All color usage is in reference to the 2001 edition of The Royal Horticultural Colour Chart except where common dictionary terms are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dianthus hybrid; -   Parentage: ‘Double Spotty’ (female) times ‘Raspberry Swirl’ (male); -   Plant description:     -   -   Habit.—Cespitose, herbaceous, evergreen perennial; stems             proximally branched, erect; height of foliage about 14 cm             and 30 cm across; height in flower is about 20 cm; Root             system; fibrous. -   Foliage:     -   -   Leaf type.—Simple, linear, opposite, decussate, sessile,             glabrous, glaucous on adaxial and abaxial; acute apex; base             decurrent, adpressed along stem and somewhat perfoliate; no             fragrance detected.         -   Leaf dimensions.—About 5.5 cm long and 4 mm wide.         -   Leaf color.—Nearest RHS 122B adaxial and abaxial sides.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Venation.—Finely reticulate, coloration same as that of leaf             top and bottom.         -   Stems.—Erect to arching, terete, glabrous, glaucous,             proximally branching at 3 to 4 nodes.         -   Stem size.—About 20 cm long and 2 mm wide at base.         -   Stem color.—Nearest RHS 122B.         -   Branching.—Numerous from lower leaf axils; about 144 per             plant.         -   Nodes.—4 mm across, RHS 138D.         -   Internodes.—4 to 5 cm apart. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Terminal, cymose, erect.         -   Flowers per stem.—Usually 3 to 4.         -   Pedicel.—Glaucous, glabrous, terete.         -   Pedicel size.—Usually 2 to 3 cm long and 2 mm diameter.         -   Pedicel color.—Nearest RHS 122A. -   Flowers:     -   -   Type.—Salviform, completely double, symmetrical.         -   Dimension.—About 3.5 cm across and extending about 1.7 cm             above calyx.         -   Flower bud shape.—Rhomboid to ovoid.         -   Flower bud size one day prior to opening.—About 2 cm long             and 1 cm wide.         -   Flower bud color.—Glaucous, nearest RHS N138B and with             anthocyanin patches between RHS 184B and RHS N186B.         -   Flower period.—Beginning late May and flowering until frost             in the fall with a short 2 week rest after the initial bust.         -   Flower lasting quality.—About one week on or off the plant.         -   Flower fragrance.—Light, sweet spicy, clove-like. -   Petals:     -   -   Petals.—14 to 22, consisting of a rounded blade or limb and             a claw (enclosed completely within the calyx), obovate, apex             dentate with dentations 1 to 2 mm deep, bearded with minute             hairs mostly on the center of the adaxial surface, bent             outwardly to nearly a ninety degree angle; adaxial limb with             reddish purple jagged bar about 2 mm thick perpendicular to             claw and rim of identical reddish purple or lighter 1 to 2             mm wide and 1 to 2 mm inside limb margin; abaxial side.         -   Dimension.—Variable, to 3.0 cm long including claw and limb;             larger petal limbs to 1.5 cm across and 1.1 cm long, smaller             limbs to 3 mm across and 5 mm long; claws range from 1.0 cm             to 1.3 cm long and 2 mm to 4 mm wide about 2 mm from limb;             adaxial limb with reddish purple jagged bar about 2 mm thick             perpendicular to claw and rim of identical reddish purple or             lighter 1 to 2 mm wide and occasional 1 to 2 mm inside limb             perimeter; abaxial side uniform color except for some             bleeding through from adaxial side.         -   Color.—Adaxial limb: reddish purple jagged bar and             occasional perimeter closest to RHS 59A; margin and limb             center between fuchsia pink RHS N74A and RHS N74B; abaxial.         -   Limb.—(Showing through from adaxial side) closest to RHS             74C; claw: between RHS 145B and RHS 145C both sides.         -   Calyx.—Glabrous, glaucous, five-toothed corolla tube fused             in proximal 1.0 cm; about 1.7 cm long and 0.7 cm in             diameter; RHS 146D with heavy anthocyanin tinting nearest             RHS 187A.         -   Peduncle.—Glabrous, glaucous, terete, 22 cm long and 2 mm             diameter; RHS N122A.         -   Bracts.—Two, opposite, broadly obtuse with acute apex, about             9 mm long and 8 mm wide; RHS 146D with heavy anthocyanin             tinting nearest RHS 187A.         -   Bracteoles.—Two, opposite, broadly obtuse with acute apex,             bases joined at stem; about 6 mm long and 3 mm wide;             glaucous, RHS N138C at apex and center, lighter than             RHS 1381) at base and margins.         -   Stipules.—None present.         -   Androecium.—Variable, stamens 0 to 18, filaments variable in             length from 15 to 12 mm long, less than 1 mm diameter; pale             green lighter than RHS 11D; anther oblong to 2.0 mm long and             less than 1 mm wide, RHS 1584B; pollen rare, pollen color             RHS 11D.         -   Gynoecium.—When present style split in two above ovary;             pistil 1.7 cm long and about 1 mm diameter, white, lighter             than RHS 69D except for distal 5 mm which are lighter than             RHS N79B; stigma between RHS N79B.         -   Ovary.—Superior, spindle-shaped; 7 mm long and 3 mm wide;             RHS 144C at distal end and nearest RHS 150D at proximal end. -   Seed: Seeds have not been observed; -   Comparison varieties: The new plant differs from the parents in the     presence of reddish purple barring on the fuchsia pink petals. It     has highly double flowers unlike the single flower of ‘Red Dwarf’     PP14437 (more commonly known as ‘Eastern Star’); the most closely     related cultivar is ‘Cranberry Ice’ PP18342 which is a single flower     with wider perimeter reddish purple zone and has a less compact     taller habit; -   Disease resistance: The new plant is resistant to center die out     from fungus or high temperatures. The plant grows best with adequate     moisture and well-drained soil, but is able to tolerate high     temperatures and some drought once established. Hardiness at least     from USDA zone 4 through zone 9. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of perennial Carnation or Pinks, Dianthus plant named ‘Dragon Fruit’ as herein described and illustrated, with fragrant highly double flowers, petals with a central fuchsia pink zone and reddish purple bar, tolerant of high temperatures, resistant to center die out and suitable as a garden ornamental, potted plant and for cut flower arrangements. 